Grandiflora rose plant named &#39;wekyesir&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of Grandiflora rose suitable for garden decoration, having flowers of lasting lemon yellow coloration.

CLASSIFICATION

The present invention relates to a new Rosa hybrida plant.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new plant has the varietal denomination ‘WEKyesir’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Grandiflora Rose. It was discovered in the summer of 2004 in Wasco, Calif. as a mutation of the variety known as ‘WEKbepmey’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,144).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety from other presently available and commercial rose cultivars known to the inventor are the following combinations of characteristics: its even lemon yellow flower coloration that last throughout the life of the flower, its stipitate glands on the new shoots and its heavily suffused red style. The plant has an upright growing habit, suitable for outdoor garden decoration.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by budding as performed in Kern County and Pomona, Calif., shows that the foregoing and other distinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding asexual propagations. ‘WEKyesir’ may be asexually propagated by cuttings, budding and grafting. The budding and grafting successfully occurred on the plant/rootstock Rosa hybrida cv. ‘Dr. Huey’ (not patented).

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The new rose may be distinguished from the cultivar of origination, ‘WEKbepmey’ by the following combination of characteristics: whereas ‘WEKyesir’ bears flowers of lasting lemon yellow coloration, the cultivar of origination bears flowers of deep golden yellow coloration blushed with pink.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The closest commercially available cultivar to the new variety is the cultivar of origination ‘WEKbepmey’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying photograph illustrates the new variety and shows the flowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color as nearly correct as it is possible to make in a color illustration of the character. Throughout this specification, color references and/or values are based upon the Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society (1966) except where common terms of color definition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of 3 to 4 year-old rose plants of the new variety grown outdoors in Pomona, Calif. in the month of September. Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climatic conditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

-   Flower:

The new variety usually bears its flowers singly, sometimes in clusters of two to four or more per stem. Flowers may be borne in regular rounded clusters on strong medium to long stems (about 26 to about 81 cm.). Outdoors, the plant blooms abundantly and nearly continuously during the growing season. The flowers have a moderate tea to somewhat fruity fragrance.

-   Bud:

The peduncle is about 2.9 to about 6.0 cm. in length, of average to somewhat heavy caliper (about 0.3 to about 0.5 cm. in diameter), and usually erect. It is moderately smooth, with some stipitate glands. Peduncle color is between 146B and 137C often moderately suffused, especially on the side exposed to the sun, with between 187C and 187A.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is about 1.1 to about 1.9 cm. in diameter at the widest point, about 1.8 to about 2.6 cm. in length, and pointed in shape. The surface of the bud bears few foliaceous appendages and stipitate glands, usually with slender entire foliaceous parts extending beyond the tip of the bud about ¼ or more of its length. Bud color is between 144B and 146B sometimes lightly suffused, especially on the side exposed to the sun, with between 187C and 187A.

The sepals are about 2.4 to about 3.9 cm. in length and about 0.6 to about 1.0 cm. in width at the widest point. The outer surface color of the sepal is between 144B and 146B sometimes lightly suffused, especially on the side exposed to the sun, with between 187C and 183B. The inner surface color of the sepal is between 137A and 139D. After the sepals open, the inner surface color is sometimes lightly suffused, especially on the area exposed to the sun, with between 187C and 187A. The sepals are covered with fine wooly tomentum; sepal margins are lined with some stipitate glands and numerous hairs.

The receptacle of the flower is of medium length (about 0.6 to about 0.9 cm.) and average in caliper (about 0.5 to about 0.8 cm. in diameter). The receptacle is urn-shaped in form. Its surface is very smooth with thick fleshy walls. The receptacle color is between 144A and 137C.

As the petals open (after the calyx breaks), the bud is about 2.0 to about 3.2 cm. in diameter at the widest point, about 3.2 to about 4.1 cm. in length, and pointed to somewhat ovoid in form. The color of the under surfaces of the newly opened petals is between 12A and 16A sometimes lightly blushed on the outermost petals with between 28C and 29A. There is no visible change in coloration at the point where the petal attaches. The color of the upper surfaces of the newly opened petals is between 14A and 16A. There is no visible change in coloration at the point where the petal attaches.

-   Bloom:

When fully open, the bloom ranges from about 9.1 to about 11.9 cm. in diameter. Petalage is double with about 30 to 37 petals and about 2 to 8 petaloids irregularly arranged. When partially open, the bloom form is moderately ovoid to somewhat high centered, and the petals are moderately tightly spiraled with petal edges somewhat reflexed outward. When fully open, the bloom form is very cupped, and the petals are loosely cupped with petal edges somewhat reflexed outward.

-   Petals:

The substance of the petals is moderately heavy and of somewhat thin to medium thickness, with upper surfaces slightly satiny and under surfaces matte to somewhat shiny. The petals are about 3.3 to about 5.6 cm. in length and about 2.5 to about 5.9 cm. in width at the widest point. Petal margins are entire.

The outer petals are nearly round in shape with rounded apices.

The inner petals are broadly oblanceolate in shape with rounded apices.

Petaloids are about 1.0 to about 2.7 cm. in length and about 0.8 to about 2.3 cm. in width at the widest point. Petaloids are irregularly shaped oblanceolate to somewhat subulate with rounded apices.

-   Newly opened flower:

The under surface color of the outer, intermediate and inner petals is between 11A and 16B. There is no visible change in coloration at the point where the petal attaches. The upper surface color of the outer, intermediate and inner petals is between 12B and 16A. There is no visible change in coloration at the point where the petal attaches.

The under and upper surface colors of the petaloids are similar in coloration to the upper and under surfaces of the intermediate and inner petals.

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is between 12B and 16A.

-   Three-day-old flower:

The under surface color of the outer, intermediate and inner petals is between 10B and 16C. There is no visible change in coloration at the point where the petal attaches. The upper surface color of the outer, intermediate and inner petals is between 10A and 16C. There is no visible change in coloration at the point where the petal attaches.

The under and upper surface colors of the petaloids are similar in coloration to the upper and under surfaces of the intermediate and inner petals.

The general tonality of the three-day-old flower is between 10A and 16C.

On the spent bloom, the petals usually drop off cleanly.

In September in Pomona, Calif., blooms on the bush growing outdoors generally last about four to five days. Cut roses from plants grown outdoors and kept at normal indoor living temperatures generally last about four to five days.

-   Male reproductive organs:

Stamens are average in number (average about 60) and are arranged regularly about the pistils; a few are mixed with petaloids. The filaments are of medium to long length (about 0.8 to about 1.5 cm.) most with anthers. Filaments are between 12A and 9A in color. The anthers are moderately small for the class and all open approximately at the same time. Anther color when immature is near 22A on the external part and near 11C on the internal part. Anther color at maturity is near 165B on the external part and near 200A on the internal part. Pollen is abundant and near 16B in color.

-   Female reproductive organs:

Pistils vary in number (average about 80). The styles are somewhat uneven, average to somewhat long in length (about 0.8 to about 1.2 cm.), moderately thin in caliper, and loosely bunched. Stigma color is between 11C and 14D. Style color is between 8C and 10C usually heavily suffused with between 53B and 53A. Ovaries are usually all enclosed in the calyx.

Hips have not been observed on this variety when grown in Pomona, Calif.

-   Foliage:

The compound leaves are usually comprised of three to seven leaflets and are borne abundantly. The five-leaflet leaves are about 8.9 to about 13.1 cm. in length and about 7.4 to about 9.2 cm. in width at the widest point, moderately thin to somewhat crisp in texture, and semi-glossy in finish. The terminal leaflets are about 4.5 to about 7.1 cm. in length and about 2.7 to about 4.2 cm. in width at the widest point, shaped ovate to somewhat oval with acuminate apices and rounded to slightly acute bases. Their margins are usually simply serrate.

The upper surface color of the mature leaf is between 137A and 147A. The under surface color of the mature leaf is between 147B and 136C. The upper surface color of the young leaf is between 146A and 146B, usually heavily suffused with between 187B and 187A. The under surface color of the young leaf is between 138B and 146B, usually heavily suffused with between 187B and 187A.

The rachis is somewhat light in caliper and moderately rough. The upper side is shallowly grooved with some hairs and stipitate glands on the edges of the grooves. The under side of the rachis is moderately rough with some stipitate glands and few small prickles. The rachis color is between 146B and 146C.

The stipules are about 1.2 to about 2.1 cm. in length and of medium width (about 0.4 to about 0.8 cm.) with medium length straight points that usually turn out at an angle of more than 45 degrees and sometime slightly recurve toward the stem. The stipules color is between 146C and 146B.

The petiole is somewhat light in caliper and moderately rough. The upper side is shallowly grooved with some hairs and stipitate glands on the edges of the grooves. The under side of the petiole is moderately rough with some stipitate glands and few small prickles. The petiole is about 0.9 to about 1.6 cm. in length and about 0.1 to about 0.15 cm in diameter at the widest point. The petiole color is between 146B and 146C.

The plant displays an above average degree of resistance to powdery mildew and rust as compared to other commercial varieties grown under comparable conditions in Pomona, Calif. The plant's winter hardiness and drought/heat tolerance are yet to be determined.

-   Growth:

The plant has an upright tall growing habit (about 160 to about 190 cm. in height and about 50 to about 65 cm. spread at the widest point), with full branching. It displays very vigorous growth and the canes are of somewhat light caliper for the class (about 1.5 to about 2.5 cm. in width at the widest point).

The color of the major stems is between 146A and 147B. They bear some large prickles that are about 0.8 to about 1.2 cm. in length. The large prickles are almost straight to slightly angled downward with a somewhat short moderately broad oval base; prickle color is between 164A and 166C. The major stem bears few small prickles of similar shape and coloration.

The color of the branches is between 146B and 137C sometimes lightly suffused especially under cooler weather conditions with between 187B and 187A. They bear some large prickles which are of similar size and shape to the large prickles on the major stems; prickle color is between 164C and 161 A. The branches bear few small prickles of similar shape and coloration.

The color of the new shoots is between 146B and 137C often heavily suffused with between 183B and 187A. They bear some large prickles which are of similar size and shape to the large prickles on the major stems; prickle color is between 160A and 152B often moderately suffused with between 187B and 187C. The shoots bear few small prickles of similar shape and coloration and some stipitate glands. 

1. A new and distinct Grandiflora rose plant of the variety substantially as described and illustrated herein. 